Obstetrical forceps.



No. 746,791. PATENTED DEG. 15, 1903.

J. A. CLIFTON. OBSTETRICAL PORGEPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Parente-. December 15,1903.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE A. CLIFTON, Oi?V ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA.

OBSTETRlCAL FORCEPS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of v Letters Patent No. 746,791, datedDecember 15, 1903.

Appleman ne@ 'June 24, 1903. serial No. 162.928. die meer.)

. zen of the United States,residing at Orangeburg, in the county ofOrangeburg and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and usefulObstetrical Forceps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to obstetrical forj oeps; and the object of thesame is to provide a device of simple construction for permitting thegrips or handles to be adjusted in the plane of the blades at varyingangles to the blades, and thus render the instrument more eective andconvenient in artificial deliveries and to meet particular or peculiardeliveries, presentations of the fetus without injury to the patient orchild, and admitting of an upward and downward traction at the same timeor without necessitating a relaxationof the grip on either handle of theforceps.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, whichv will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of forcepsembodying thefeatures of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of aportion of the same. Fig. 3 is a section through'a portion of one of thehandles.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

j The numerals 1 and 2 designate the usual or any preferred form ofblades having rearwardly extending handles 3, which -are crossed, as at4, and pivotally connected by a fulcrum-screw or analogous device 5. Therear ends ofthe handles terminate in circular coupling members G, whichare about one-half the thickness of the said handles and have theirinner faces flush with the inner sides of the latter to thereby formouter recesses to receive similar coupling members 7 at the frontterminals of grips 8, the said latter members being movableandadjustable with respect to the former, and each pair of members isadjustably connected by a clampingscrew 9, having an outwardlyprojecting milled head 10. The upper and lower portions of the handlesadjacent to the members 6 are formed with shoulder extensions 11, whichextend the full width or thickness of the handles, and thefront portionsof the grips adjacent the members 7 thereof are in like manner providedwith similarly-positioned shoulders 12 to abut against the upper andlower shoulders of the handles when the said grips have reached theirupper and lower maximum adjustments.

It is necessary to rigidly hold the grips in their adj usted positionsin order to lmake them edective, and for this purpose the members 6 areprovided with spaced peripheral sockets 13, extending inwardly intangential lines, and coacting with the sockets arehorizontally-disposed sliding pins 14 on the grips, the pins beingmovable through upper shoulders 12 and through upstanding guides 15 inrear of the said shoulders, and surrounding each said pin between theguide and shoulder is a coiled spring 16, the shoulder being cut away,as at 17, to give place to the sprinv. The rear end of the pin is fixedto a vertically-disposed th umh-piece 18, which has its lower endprovided with a flange 19 to give an extended slidable bearing on theupper edges of the grips. By this means the grips can be held inlongitudinal alinement with the handles or adjusted to different degreesabove and below a horizontal plane. The tangential arrangement of thesockets 13 permits them to be successively brought into alinement withthe openings through the upper shoulders 12 for accurate engagement withthe pins, and thereby effect a retention of the adjustment of themembers 6 and 7 until the clamping-screws have been set.

So far as known in all forceps as heretofore constructed and embodyingadjustable handles or grips the maximum axis traction that vcould beobtained was ninety degrees, and

the leverage thus obtained was confined to a quarter-circle below thenormal position assumed by a pairof forceps while in use. In the presentimproved instrument the radius of movement is ninety degrees below andthe same number of degrees above the position of the handles, and it isalso possible to have the 'grips assume any desired traction position inthe one hundred and eighty degrees by the adjustment of the pins andclampingscrews. Consequently simultaneous lines of IOO traction can beobtained in the improved for-f oeps heretofore described thatcannot/belacquired in any other instrument now in use and admitting ofan upward and downward traction at the same time without releasing thehands from either grip of the forceps. The milled screws connecting themembers can be removed very quickly and the parts can then be readilycleaned. lt is also proposed to apply coverings 20 on the outer sides ofthe grips of suitable material and having transverse corrngations toprevent the hands of the operator from slipping.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.Obstetrical forceps having handle portions adjustable in the plane ofthe width of the forcepblades above and below a horizontal plane, andmeans for locking said handles at intermediate points between theirupper and lower full adjustment and said horizontal plane.

2. Obstetrical forceps comprising a pair of pivoted blades, and handlemembers connected thereto, the pivotal connections of the handles beingin a plane approximately at a right angle to the axis of the blade-pivotand both handles being adjustable both above and below a horizontalplane.

3. In obstetrical forceps, the combination with blades, of handlespivotally connected and having rear terminal coupling members andadjustable in the plane of the width of the blades, grips having similarfront terminal coupling members pivotally connected to those of thehandles, and means for locking the grips in adjusted position.

4. In obstetrical forceps, the combination with blades, of pivotedhandles having rear terminal enlargements of circular form to providecoupling members which have peripheral sockets, grips provided withsimilar coupling members at their front ends and pivotally connected tothe members of the handles, and spring-actuated pins carried by thegrips to engage the said sockets of the handle members.

5. In obstetrical forceps, the combination with the blades, ofpivotally-connected handle members, interlocking shoulders for limitingthe movements of the handles, there being spaced longitudinal sockets onthe blade members, and slidable pins carried by the handles and adaptedto engage the sockets, each pin having a thumb-piece near the base ofits carrying-handle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JESSE A. CLIFTON.

Witnesses:

TOM F. BRANTLEY, HENRY F. JENNEY.

